Summertime
by wingedflower
Summary: Becoming a new father is never easy. But when the mother of your child is the most hot-tempered Viking on Berk, you better run for your life. HICCSTRID. This story is all about fluff & fun! Takes place two years after HTTYD 2 - CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS TO THE SECOND FILM!
1. Chapter 1

Hi guys!

A Hiccstrid pregnancy+birth has been my favourite storyline for quiet a while now, so I decided to simply write one myself:) Hope you enjoy!

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><p>It seemed like summer had come to Berk at once this year. One day everyone stayed inside their houses, in front of the warm fires, avoiding the heavy rain and the violent winds which threatened to destroy the very few houses that still stood unharmed after all those months of cruel winter, and on the next day – the village on the cliff woke up to a clear, blue, cloudless morning, and the air smelled like sun and grass and new beginnings.<p>

Summers at Berk were short and yet they seemed endless, thanks to the fact that the nights lasted only for a few hours, and even then it wasn't completely dark – one could see a thin orange line extending across the horizon, right to the point where the sky and the sea met. This line was always there, bright and clear against the deep dark blue, a constant reminder that a new day is about to begin.

Because of the long days, summer was Hiccup's favorite season – the more light hours, the more time he had to spend with Toothless up high, between the clouds and the sun, exploring around the island and everything that was beyond it. Hiccup never got tired from those long flying journeys and neither did Toothless. If it was up to them, they could go on like this forever, to the edge of the world and beyond.

But those days were long gone, and now Hiccup no longer had all the time in the world to hang out on Toothless's back in the sky, not even in the middle of summer. It wasn't that he didn't love Toothless anymore – on the contrary: the bond between the two of them had grown more powerful from day to day and they never stopped learning new things about each other, not even after almost seven years of being inseparable; However, during those seven years Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III has managed to become from a scrawny, dreamy, clumsy boy to the very respectable and very busy Chief of Berk, and he had about a thousand other things to take care of except for his dragon. In fact, he had a whole village to run – a village in which the dragon population was almost as big as the Viking population, and running a village like that was not a simple task at all.

Besides, there was a certain matter which required his full attention at his own house, now more than ever.

It was the end of the day. Night has already fallen, though it was not entirely dark. Hiccup was completely exhausted, as always, and all he wanted was to fall into his bed and never wake up. But he still had one last place to attend before going home, and anyway, considering what was waiting for him at home, he doubted that he will be able to get this sweet, oblivious sleep he was craving so badly.

He was on his way to Gobber's workshop, with Toothless following his lead as usual, adjusting his steps to the soft tapping of Hiccup's metal leg against the stone pavement. Even though all the craftsmen and tradesmen in Berk have already called it a day, the light was still on at Gobber's. Hiccup came in and found the old blacksmith pounding vigorously with his hammer, which was attached as always to the stump of his left hand, against a piece of metal that looked like it was on its way to become the blade of a large sword.

Gobber lifted his eyes from his work when Hiccup approached him. "Oh, beautiful evening, Chief!" he called and waved his hammer hand. "Well, aren't ya lookin' all worn out, like ya haven't slept in a hundred years! Tough day at work, Aye?"

Hiccup replied with a tired smile. "The day I have an easy day at work, Toothless will start eating eels". Toothless released a growl of dissatisfaction and dropped loudly at one of the corners, pouting and folding his wings. "Actually, I don't intend to stay here too long. Just wanted to check how you're doing with Spitelout's new sword. I met him earlier when he came back from hunting and he told me he was too exhausted to come here himself, so I promised I'll do it for him. You know how he's always so stressed when it comes to his swords. He thinks that you'll forget to finish them on time between all those dragons' teeth repairing and saddle designing".

Gobber wiped his sweaty forehead and released a scornful snort. "Well, if ya ask me, I'm sayin' that it's not that he's too exhausted, he's just too _drunk_ to come here himself. Ya know him and his gang – the second they catch something they start pourin' gallons o' mead into their bloody throats, before they're even back at the village. Not that I understand why in Thor's hammer they take _mead_ to a hunting trip, but wha'ever, 'm not judging". He stroked his long moustache, which had whitened almost completely. "Anyhow, ya can tell 'im I'll be done by tomorrow's afternoon, if that stupid Monstrous Nightmare won't decide to chew on half the metal in the village _again_, of course. This son of his should really put a damn muzzle on his dragon, for Odin's sake! Now, ya tell Spitelout it's my first priority, that'll ease his drunken mind alrigh'".

"Thanks, Gobber. I will tell him. Well, good night then, and don't work too late". Hiccup turned to the door, but Gobber's voice stopped him.

"Aw… Hiccup?" he ask tentatively. "How's… Well… y'know. How is… the wife?"

Hiccup singed and turned back to Gobber. He let himself drop onto the nearest chair and suddenly looked extremely miserable. "I… I don't know. I mean, she had a very hard time during the last couple of weeks, and I truly understand – if I was in her shoes I would go crazy as well – but today she just _lost_ it. There's a reason I wasn't here all morning".

Gobber pulled another chair and sat in front of Hiccup. "Wha' happened?"

Hiccup pinched his nose bridge and closed his eyes for a moment, as if revising this morning's events had caused him an unbearable pain. "She was already gone when I woke up today, which was very suspicious, because I always leave before her – especially now when it's harder for her to get out of the house. So I took Toothless to go look for her, and after we circled the island for a while we found her in the woods, training in throwing axes on trees. Can you imagine, Gobber?! A woman in her state, with a belly larger than a Gronckle's! Going to the forest all by herself and throwing _axes_! She almost threw one at _me_ when she saw me. And you know what she said when I asked her what the hel she was doing? 'Maybe it will scare the little troll just enough so he finally crawls out', that's what she said!"

Gobber threw his head back and roared with laughter, hitting the table with his hammer with such force that Toothless's ears perked in panic, and Grump the dragon, who was napping happily at his corner until now, rolled on his side and released an angry moan without opening his eyes.

"Oh, my dear Astrid!" Gobber chuckled. "Ya know what I'm thinkin'? I'm thinkin' she scared him so bad that now he'll want to stay inside even more! And why not, after all it's warm and cozy and there isn't a crazy Viking woman yellin' at ya! I'm sure he's having the best time in there! Or _she's_ having the best time, of course, ya can never know. Oh, gods…" Tears began to appear in his eyes and he wiped them away with his large arm.

Hiccup frowned. "I swear, Gobber, if nothing happens soon, she's going to kill someone. Probably me".

Gobber shook his head. "Nah, I'm afraid all the Hofferson women are like that", he said. "I remember the night Astrid was born – a couple o' hours before she came out her mother still had enough juice in her to pierce three Terrible Terrors on her spear, right through the heart! Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if all the girls in this family were born with a weapon welded to their hands".

Suddenly Hiccup had a terrifying vision of a red-faced baby screaming wildly with an axe as a replacement for one of its arms. He started praying with all his might that his child will be born with four normal limbs.

Gobber patted Hiccup's shoulder with his normal hand. "Cheer up, Chief! This is just how Viking women are, nothin' ya can do 'bout it. Not that I'm too experienced, Aye?" He laughed again. "And don't forget that this is the easy part – just wait 'til the little hooligan _finally_ comes out, 'cause this is when the _real_ troubles begin! Oh, I still remember what a _pain_ ya were when ya were just a wee baby… I mean, my gods, ya were screamin' so hard even the bloody _dragons_ were scared away, they hadn't attacked this place for weeks until ya finally learned to shut up a bit… Nobody understood how a poor twig like ya had such big lungs! Yep, ya were definitely Stoick's son when it came to screaming yer head off – "

Gobber could sit there and continue to blab about Hiccup's babyhood for hours, but something interrupted his speech. Fishlegs burst into the workshop with such noise that they both jumped in their chairs. Grump rolled again, kicking a large stand full of weapons and dropping it to the floor with a deafening rattle of metal.

"Ch-Ch-Chief!" Fishlegs was panting so hard one could think he's just finished running around the whole island. "Val-Valka sent me to find you, Astrid –" He inhaled deeply – "_It's time!_"

Hiccup felt his heart dropping to his stomach. He leaped from his chair, causing it to crush on the floor. "Are you _sure_, Fishlegs? One hundred percent sure? This is not another false alarm?"

"Valka said n-n-no, not this time", Fishlegs looked almost as terrified as Hiccup did. "Chief, you have to come home as fast as – "

Hiccup didn't need to be told twice. Within two seconds he was on Toothless's back, in such a hurry that he didn't bother to thank Fishlegs or say goodbye to Gobber. But the two of them didn't seem to care. Only one thing mattered now.

"Good luck, Daddy!" Gobber called after him. "Say hi to the little fella in my name. I'll drop by when all this mess is over".

Toothless spread his wings with a loud roar, ready to take off. "Come on, bud", said Hiccup and patted the dragon's back. "Let's go have a baby".

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><p>Now the <em>real<em> fun begins! This is going to be a three-chapter story, so stay tuned to the next chapter in a couple of days! Comments are more than welcomed!


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to everybody who reviewed, followed & faved! It really warms my heart, especially since this is the first story I'm publishing online.

And now, as promised, Chapter 2, which is a lot longer than the first chapter. Enjoy!

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><p>Astrid was furious.<p>

She was furious because her belly was so big she could no longer stand on her feet; she was furious because every muscle in her body burned with pain, pain that she carried day after day for so long she could no longer remember how it felt _not _to be in pain; she was furious because she was hot and she sweated like crazy, because her head constantly ached from sleepless nights, and because she felt so damn _helpless_ – and there was nothing Astrid Haddock loathed more than feeling helpless. She didn't even see herself as a person anymore – just a huge sack of air which was about to explode at any moment.

But right now, she was mostly furious because her idiot husband was nowhere to be found.

"Where – is – that – _jerk_", she moaned through clenched teeth. "I – am – going – to – _kill_ – him".

"There, there, dear", Ingrid, Astrid's mother, gently brushed the sweaty blond bangs from her daughter's forehead. "Fishlegs has just went looking for him, I'm sure he'll find him soon. You know how he's always busy until late in the evening – after all, he's the Chief".

"He is the _Chief_?! Seriously?! You don't say!" Astrid shrieked. "Geez, thanks for the reminder, I almost forgot that the man I married is the _Chief of Berk_, that he spends half the time roaming the village and trying to solve _everybody's_ problems, and on the other half he goes on _adventures_ with his stupid dragon all around the world! And yet, he somehow found the time to put a baby inside of me, yes, he definitely had time for _that_, but to come in time to the _birth_ of his bloody child – well, what can I say, I guess it's not exactly at the top of the list of priorities that he holds as an _honorable Chief_ – "

Her frantic speech was interrupted by a sharp pain that tore through the lower part of her stomach, as if someone had slashed her with a dagger. She exhaled sharply and hunched, embracing her belly strongly. Her eyes began to sting with tears. Stromfly sniffed her with great concern, gently nuzzling her hair in attempt to calm her down.

Brunhilda, the village's midwife, helped Astrid sit on a wooden stool, then put her hands on her waists. "Now lass, you have to calm down", she said firmly. "Seems to me like this is going to take all night, and you don't want to exhaust yourself by throwing tantrums. You should be keeping those energies for the moment the baby comes out".

Valka, who stood by Astrid's other side and petted her arm, was very worried but still wasn't able to hide her smile. Twenty-two years ago she was in the exact same situation as Astrid, and even after finally getting to hold her tiny, red-faced, screaming Hiccup in her arms, she had never dreamed that she would live to help deliver _his_ child, a grandson or a granddaughter whom she was already eager to meet. As she was trying to figure out the words that will ease Astrid's discomfort a little, she heard the door downstairs slamming open and fast footsteps started going up the stairs. Considering the metal thumping on the wooden floor, there was no mistake who it was.

The room's door was opened. "Astrid – "

Before she noticed what she was doing, Astrid released a furious roar and grubbed her axe, which she kept close to her all the time so that she will be able to blow off steam every time she felt like it (and she felt like it very often).

The door slammed close half a second before Astrid threw her axe at it, and its blade was tacked right in the middle of the thick wood.

Valka and Ingrid simply stared at the panting Astrid, unable to utter a word. Stormfly took a scared step back. Her tail hit an urn which stood on the shelf behind her and it crushed to pieces on the floor, which made the dragon panic even more, her spikes nearly making a hole in the ceiling.

The room was completely silent for a few seconds, and then they heard Hiccup's unnaturally high voice through the closed door. "Astrid, honey, I know you're in great pain right now, but if you can just _try_ to hold it together so that our child won't be an orphan before he's even born, that would be nice!"

Astrid couldn't think of a proper answer, so she just screamed with frustration.

"Excuse me for just one second", Valka apologized and hurried to exit the room in order to calm her son down.

She found him standing next to the door, and though the hallway was almost completely dark, she could clearly see the horror on his pale face. Toothless stood right behind him, his wings are folded in an unnatural angle because of the narrow space, and Valka almost failed to choke back a laugh watching the dragon's miserable expression, which was an exact copy of Hiccup's expression, which was an exact copy of Stoick's expression the day their son was born. _Men_.

"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry", she laid a hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "But you have to understand her, she suffers very much. There's no way for her to act logically at this point".

"I understand", Hiccup muttered. "I just… I wanna be there with her".

"I know, son", Valka sighed. "But… maybe it's not such a good idea right now. This room is already too crowded for four women _and_ a dragon, bringing more people in will just make it harder for her".

Hiccup stared at the floor and said nothing.

Valka placed a finger under his chin and gently lifted his head. His eyes wandered around the hall for a few seconds until his gaze met hers. "You are going to make a wonderful father, Hiccup", she said seriously. "Just like you are a wonderful Chief and a wonderful dragon rider. But Viking men are never present when their wives are giving birth. It's just how the world works. Though I've attended very few births in my life, what I saw was enough to know that this is a recipe for disaster. An axe in the door is pretty decent, actually".

Hiccup raised his eyebrows with surprise. "You mean Dad wasn't there when I was born?"

Valka burst into laughter. "Oh, gods, _of course_ not! Stoick was more hysterical than I was. He didn't even have the nerve to stay in the house, so he waited outside with Gobber all day long – yes, you also took your time until you came out. I'm afraid it's hereditary. But you know what? When he held you in his arms, none of those things mattered anymore". She stroked his cheek with her finger. "In fact, I'm sure he's looking at us right now from Valhalla, and he couldn't be more proud of you. Both of you".

Hiccup's lips curved into a faint smile. "I'm really glad you're here, Mom".

Valka hugged her son and kissed his forehead, then she released him and grabbed his shoulders firmly. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go back and help deliver my grandchild", she said in a serious tone. "You and Toothless better wait downstairs. You'll know when it's over. Don't worry, Hiccup, she's in good hands. Everything will be alright, I promise".

And she went back into the room, closing the door behind her and leaving Hiccup and Toothless alone in the dim hallway.

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It was hard to tell how much time has passed.

Hiccup thought he was sitting there for a few hours, but at the same time it could be a few days, or years, or decades – he couldn't tell. All he could do was stare absentmindedly at the wooden texture of the dining table. Toothless sat quietly by the fire, and for the first time in his life he didn't shove his nose into the empty fish barrel and didn't even try to nudge his rider's hip for attention. Either he understood that it wasn't the right time for all of this, or he was just too scared of this unfamiliar situation.

In the past, Hiccup had the perfect way to escape from irritating situations like this – all he had to do was jump onto Toothless's back and within seconds they soared higher and higher, leaving all the troubles behind them, and the clouds and the wind were their only concern. Hiccup couldn't stand being locked between four walls and simply _wait_. He wasn't used to sitting still and doing nothing. His desire to fly away was so strong it almost hurt him physically.

However, he couldn't escape from _that_, not this time. He had to wait patiently and deal with it like a man, like a real Viking – if not for his sake, then at least for the sake of the love of his life. No matter how miserable and helpless he felt – he had to keep in mind that Astrid was way more miserable, and she was the most important thing right now.

Every time Astrid's cry of pain pierced the air, Hiccup and Toothless flinched. Every time it happened Hiccup hoped this was it, that was the last contraction, his mother will appear any second now at the top of the stairs and tell him it's all over– but the door to the upper room remained closed. How long was delivering a baby supposed to take, anyway? He had no idea. He had never took part in this kind of event – even the dragons flew to another island when breeding season came, leaving their riders behind. Hiccup thought that all the problems he had ever had to deal with since he became Chief were no match for what was happening in his house at the very moment.

"Looks like we're grounded, bud", he said in a raspy voice. Toothless howled quietly, resting his head on his paws and looking at his rider with empathy.

His friends started to arrive at some point. They probably have heard the screams from outside – in fact, Hiccup doubted that there was anyone left in the island who _haven't_ heard them – and realized that this was going to take a while and that Hiccup needed some company. Fishlegs, Snotlout, Eret and the twins knocked on his door one by one, grabbed chairs and sat with him by the table, hardly speaking. Every now and then another cry of pain was heard and everybody flinched and looked up anxiously, but since nobody came to deliver any news, they returned to staring at the table. Even Snotlout had nothing to say about this subject, for a change. In fact, he looked as if he was standing in front of the Screaming Death himself. Ruffnut was extremely restless and couldn't stop touching her belly, which was way smaller than Astrid's, but still round and clear beneath her tunic. Eret stared at her with panic – he probably just realized that a few months from now he will have to face the very same situation, and considering he was married to, well, _Ruffnut_, it was very likely that _this_ birth will be much worse.

Gobber also came eventually, skipping as much as his wooden prosthetic allowed him and humming to himself, but his cheerful grin dropped at once when he noticed everybody sitting gloomily by the table. "Odin's balls, don't tell me it's still goin' on!" he cried. "What the hel is she deliverin' there, a Deadly Nadder's baby?!"

Hiccup couldn't bring himself to reply. Gobber sighed. He approached the corner behind them and started pouring mead into tankards. Hiccup Haddock was not much of a drinker, but as Chief he had to make sure he always had a barrel full of mead within reach, since hosting Vikings at his house without offering them a proper drink was something so unorthodox it was almost considered as betrayal.

Gobber handed each of them a tankard. "Come on lads, drink up! Not _you_", he scolded Ruffnut and snatched the tankard from her hands before she managed to lift it to her lips, "Unless ya want your baby to be a violent drunken numbskull like ya". He passed her tankard to Hiccup. "Come on Chief, it'll make ya feel better, and the gods know how much ya need it righ' now".

Hiccup looked at the tankard for a moment, then grabbed it with his two hands and emptied its content at once, with large, noisy gulps. If he can't be in his child's birth, well, at least he could get buzzed. He put the empty tankard on the table with a loud thump, wiped his mouth and released a generous belch. His friends were so stunned their jaws almost dropped to the table.

"Now we're talkin'", Gobber patted Hiccup's shoulder with such force that he almost fell from his chair. Gobber was just about to pour him a second round when a tormented cry was heard from upstairs.

"_Hiccup!_"

Hiccup leaped from his chair, sober at once. This time Astrid's voice lacked any sign of anger or wrath. This time it was full of agony and desperation, like a cry for help. Astrid wanted him to come for her. She _needed_ him, and she needed him _now_.

"I'm coming, Astrid!" Hiccup yelled and started running up the stairway. In his enthusiasm he stumbled and almost fell flat on his face, but Toothless – just like that first time seven years ago and just like the many times which came after that – caught him a moment before his head hit the stair, and pushed his back with his nose so that Hiccup basically flew over the last couple of stairs. He ran to Astrid's room and burst inside.

Astrid, which was supported by Ingrid, Valka, Brunhilda and also Stromfly, was as white as a sheet, although her cheeks were red with effort. Her wet bangs were stuck to her forehead, her blue eyes narrowed in pain and tears flew from them and mixed with the sweat on her face. She was shaking and panting heavily and her belly was bigger than ever, if that was even possible.

She never looked more beautiful in Hiccup's eyes.

He rushed to her side and took her hand, which was hot and moist. "It's okay, Milady, I'm here", he said softly. "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere until it's all over. And even after it's over I won't go anywhere. I will never leave you, I swear to the gods". He lifted her palm to his lips and kissed it gently.

Astrid was too weak to talk, but she gave him a faint, thankful smile. Hiccup thought that he had never seen a prettier smile.

Brunhilda gave him a stiff look and then focused her attention back on Astrid. "It's now or never, lass", she said. "It's time. Three, two, one – _push!_"

And Astrid pushed, and screamed harder than ever, and the whole world exploded.

Toothless, who had half his body inside the room and the other half still in the hallway, whined pathetically and sank to the floor, completely helpless in front of the sight that was revealed to him. He tried to retreat, but was too hysterical to pass his enormous body through the door by crawling backwards, so he simply covered his eyes with his paws and brought his tail to his face, trying to hide from what was going inside the room. But Hiccup was completely enchanted. He didn't leave Astrid's hand and just stood still, his gaze fixed on the tiny bump, round and full of dark hair, which started to emerge from between his wife's thighs –

And about a minute later another crying voice joined Astrid's sobs, not as strong as hers but still loud and clear, and Hiccup knew for granted that no music he has ever heard or will ever hear would be as beautiful as this voice.

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><p>Yeah, baby's out! Is it a boy or a girl? Find out in the final chapter:)<p>

Reviews are welcomed with love!


	3. Chapter 3

OMG you guys are AMAZING! Thank you for all your kind reviews, it totally made my week ^_^

Chapter 3 is finally here! I had a total blast writing it down, hope you'll like it too:)

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><p>The birth of a new baby in Berk had always been a good reason to celebrate, especially when it was the birth of the Chief's elder son. The moment the baby took his first breath in this world, the short night came to an end and a new day began. Naturally, the news about the happy event which took place exactly at sunrise have spread through the village like the flap of a dragon's wings, and visitors began rushing to the house on the top of the hill to congratulate the new parents and start a day full of celebrations. It didn't matter that there were sheep to herd, dragons to feed and broken roofs to fix – after all, the Chief's wife giving birth to an elder son was a one-in-a-generation event.<p>

Hiccup, however, who stood at his doorstep leaning on Toothless's side – he felt that if he didn't do so, he would simply fall from his feet – had to send the dozens of people (and dragons) back to their houses. Astrid was in no shape to have visitors, not after this hard night. She desperately needed to rest and there wasn't a person in Berk who deserved it more than her. The celebrations will have to wait until after sunset, when the entire village assembles in the Great Hall for the initiation ceremony, a ceremony which will be followed by a long night of eating, singing, dancing and of course – drinking mead. A lot of mead.

The crowd which huddled on the stairs was deeply disappointed at having to wait until night to see the Chief's baby, but eventually they understood. The Viking men approached Hiccup one by one to shake his hand, the women carried pots full of stews into the kitchen, and the dragons howled and moved their wings enthusiastically. Hiccup truly appreciated everybody's good will, but deep in his heart he started to get a little tired of this ceremony, longing for the moment he will be left alone with his wife and son. Toothless also started to lose patience at some point and rambled restlessly in his place, moaning and shaking his head.

Finally, after the sun climbed high in the sky and the last dragon spread its wings and flew away, Hiccup shut the door and went upstairs, followed by Toothless.

Astrid was sitting in the large bed. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were red and swollen, and there was still a clear trace of a baby bump under her clothe. However, she couldn't care less for all those things, for her she was grinning brightly and her gaze was fixed on the tiny creature she was holding and rocking gently in her arms. Brunhilda has already gone, but Ingrid, Valka and Gobber were gathered around the bed and looked like they couldn't get enough of the baby, who was tightly wrapped in a blanket with only his head poking out, sleeping peacefully. Stormfly had curled around herself at the corner of the room and was napping with content, opening one golden eye once in a while to make sure everything's okay.

Everyone turned to Hiccup when he entered the room. Gobber spread his arms and rushed to him. "Oh, there's Daddy! Ya took your time showin' up, didn't ya?" and he pulled Hiccup to a bone-crashing hug which knocked all the air out of the young Chief's lungs.

Hiccups started to see black spots dancing in front of him when Gobber finally let him go. He was trying to catch his breath when Gobber suddenly choked, large tears appearing in his eyes. "And to think that you two were only babies yourselves a couple o' years ago… Gods, you were so damn _small_, not only you, but also Astrid, even though she could still drop ya to the floor any time… I could hold ya both in one arm!" And he released a loud, pathetic wail, totally falling apart.

"Gobber!" Ingrid scolded him. "You're going to wake him up!"

"I-I'm sorry, ma'am", Gobber stuttered. "I'm just gettin' way too old for these things, 'is all". He used his long moustache to blow his nose theatrically. Toothless made a disgusted sound.

"Stop it, Gobber", said Valka with empathy. "I guarantee you, you're going to live for many years and get to see a lot more births on Berk".

"I hope the good gods hear ya, my sweet Val", Gobber sighed, his voice still hoarse. He took a deep breath and finally managed to pull himself together. "Now, if ya'll excuse me, I better get some sleep before Spitelout sobers up and start naggin' me 'bout his bloody sword. Who can even _think_ about swords on such a beautiful day?! Honestly, I don't feel like makin' weapons today at all, I gotta tell ya. Hey, Maybe I'll do somethin' nice for the cute little Viking we've got here, Aye? Yes, a nice toy for him to play with. Nothin' with sharp blades or anythin', don't ya worry. Well, see ya all tonight! Bye-bye, baby!" He waved his hammer hand and limped his way out.

It wasn't long until Ingrid and Valka decided it was their time to leave as well, in order to give the new, excited family some quality time for themselves. After they planted about a hundred kisses on the small hairy head which laid in Astrid's lap, they went to the door, but Valka turned around and her gaze met Hiccup's at once. She seemed as if she couldn't find the words to express her feelings, feelings that she kept in her heart for almost twenty-two years, but Hiccup understood. He nodded, gave her a warm smile and shut the door after her. Only then he realized that Astrid's axe was still there, but he decided it could be taken care of later.

Finally, they were alone. He stayed at the door for a while, cherishing the moment, and then turned to his wife. "Well, Milady, how does it feel to be the mother of the royal baby?"

"_Royal baby?_" Astrid quirked an eyebrow. "Hiccup Haddock, you may be Chief, but a _king_? Naa. Don't get ahead of yourself". Suddenly the baby moved in her arms, released a wide yawn and went back to sleep.

Astrid and Hiccup looked at each other and burst into laughter. "You see? Even he already gets bored from your jokes", Astrid teased him.

"It's good to know I have a faithful audience". Hiccup approached the bed and sat next to his wife. He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead. "You're my hero, you know that?" He said. "I mean, from the day I met you, you were always the strongest, the smartest, the bravest and someone who was better than me in any possible way, but _this_?" He pointed at the baby. "_This_ is the most amazing thing anyone can create. No invention of mine can beat this".

"Well then, if you're so thrilled, why don't _you_ keep it in your belly next time?" Astrid murmured. Hiccup laughed, and the words _next time _filled him with a warm feeling. But Astrid's eyes suddenly narrowed and she looked away. "Hiccup…" She whispered. "I'm… I'm really glad you've been there with me, you know… at the end. I was so pissed off and so blind with pain that I just wanted to get it done already, but when the moment finally came, I realized there was no way I could do it without you. So… thank you for coming for me".

Hiccup placed both his hands on Astrid's cheeks, lifted her face to him and lowered his head until their noses almost touched. "I will _always_ come for you, Milady", he said quietly, and his breath was warm against her mouth. "I'll always come when you call me, and also when you don't. I'll come even if I'm at the edge of the world".

He pressed his lips against hers. Astrid closed her eyes and carefully released one hand from her grip on the baby, raised it to Hiccup's face and gently brushed a lock of hair behind his ear.

A few seconds – or years – later they pulled apart and Astrid smiled at him. Hiccup stroked her swollen belly. "You need to get some sleep, Astrid. The Gods know you deserve it. And besides, don't forget the assembly at the Great Hall – you should gather your strength, this could take all night".

"I know", Astrid sighed. "You have no idea how much I want to sleep. I'd give all my axes to just close my eyes and never come out of this bed. But – if I go to sleep I won't be able to look at him, and I just can't help myself – he's so _pretty_!"

Hiccup laughed. "You're his mother. Of course he's pretty".

"Kiss-ass", Astrid punched his shoulder with her free hand. "And besides, don't you see he has _your_ hair?" She brushed a loving finger against the brown, soft hair which covered the baby's head.

"As long as he gets your axe-throwing talent, I don't care what he looks like".

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Tell me, oh mighty Chief, are you going to keep ass-kissing all day long or are you going to hold your elder son at some point?"

Hiccup felt his heart growing and widening inside his chest, like a flower blooming. _Elder son_. He has never dared to imagine he'll have an elder son – or children at all, for that matter; especially not with the prettiest, strongest and most talented girl in all Berk. But, there they were. He smiled and nodded at her.

Astrid passed him the baby carefully. His son was warm and soft and smelled like summer, and despite his exhaustion, Hiccup felt like his hands will never grow tired of holding him. He started to have such a pleasant feeling, which started in his stomach and spread all over his body, as if… as if he was _flying_. The only times he felt like this were when kissing Astrid and when riding on Toothless's back in the sky.

Speaking of Toothless, Hiccup felt someone standing behind him. The dragon lowered his giant head and sniffed the baby carefully, but with great interest. He purred softly, though he seemed a bit puzzled, as if not knowing yet what to make of this new being.

"Yes, Toothless, this is our new family member", Hiccup turned to the dragon to let him take a better look of his son. "And you're going to love him and protect him, just like you always protect me. And if I notice the slightest sign of you being jealous – you're sleeping in the stables".

Toothless opened his mouth wide with his familiar gummy grin. He gave Hiccup a generous, wet lick all over his face and then brushed his tongue against the baby's head – much more gently though. The baby moved again in his blanket and cooed quietly, but didn't open his eyes. Hiccup giggled and held him closer to his chest. "Well, I think he's got Toothless's seal of approval. I'm glad you like him, bud". The dragon nuzzled him with satisfaction.

"Hiccup?" He heard his wife's tentative voice and returned his gaze to her.

"Listen…" Astrid stared at her hands with a serious complexion. "I know we have already decided what name we're going to give him, but the initiation is in a couple of hours, so… I just wanted to make sure you're completely okay with our choice".

Hiccup's smile dropped. He turned his back to her and went slowly to the window. One could see the enormous statue of Stoick the Vast from every spot in Berk, his whiteness almost blinding in the strong sun, but it was most clear from Hiccup's windowsill. Hiccup looked right into his father's marbled eyes, which were severe and watching over the entire village, and felt them piercing into his soul.

"Of course I'm okay with our choice, Astrid", he said quietly. "But only if you approve".

"Oh, Hiccup", Astrid said gently. "Of course I approve. From the very first moment I approved".

Hiccup didn't answer. He kept looking at the statue on the cliff, absentmindedly stroking his son's head with one finger. He would give everything to have his father here with them, on that day, to hear him tell him how proud he is, to see his warm smile through his long, red beard and listen to his rumbling laughter. He would give everything to have Stoick hold his grandson in his strong, loving arms.

Hiccup felt a sudden sting in his eyes, and lifted his head to the ceiling, breathing deeply, trying to keep it together. He couldn't change the past, but right now he held in his arms a hope for a new life and a better future, and it was all he could ask for. The least he could was to honor his father's name through this new hope, for unless his father had done what he had done, Hiccup would have never get to stand here today and hold his elder son.

A weak cry pulled him back to reality. He looked down to find that his son finally woke up, moving restlessly in his arms and punching the air with his tiny fists. His crying got louder and louder and within seconds it became deafening. Stromfly got up at once, blinking wildly, and Toothless took a few steps back and began to weep in confusion.

"Oh no, looks like little Stoick got hungry", Hiccup smiled and the sadness which wrapped him a moment ago was completely gone. "Come on, you poor thing, let's get you back to Mommy". He handed their son back to Astrid, who laughed warmly and began to untie the laces of her blouse. "Wow, he sure has a strong couple of lungs! I guess the name Stoick truly fits him", she said.

"You're absolutely right. And hey, who knows, maybe by tomorrow he'll already grow a beard".

"At least _one_ of the men in this family will have a beard".

"Hey!" Hiccup cried and raised his hand to his cheek. "I thought you said I didn't need to be ashamed of my bristles!"

"Oh, give me a break. I have better things to worry about right now than your self-esteem".

Hiccup frowned and crossed his arms. "I can't believe it", he muttered. "My son is not a day old and his mother is already making fun of me in front of him…"

Toothless and Stromfly both gave him a disdainful glare and went to sit by Astrid, making it perfectly clear which side they were on.

"Oh, come on, you guys!" Hiccup protested. "For the love of - _mutiny_! In my own house! Great, this is just _perfect_, you're raising our son to be disrespectful to his dad _and_ his Chief! I'm sorry, but this is totally unacceptable, especially after I stayed awake night after night to build _this_ for him!" he gestured at the large, wooden cradle which was standing not too far from their bed.

"Well, maybe _you_ should go sleep in it, since you're such a big _baby_", Astrid said with a vicious smile.

"Ha-ha-ha, very funny, I can only hope he doesn't inherit _your_ sense of humor – _Ouch_! Astrid, for Thor's sake, stop _hitting_ me while breastfeeding our child, I highly doubt it's healthy for him!"

Summers in Berk were short, yet they seemed endless. The nights lasted only for a few hours, and even then it wasn't completely dark, so the days simply merged into each other and became one long, bright, endlessly-blue day. Sometimes it seemed like the sun will keep shining forever and the winds and the frost will never come back. But they always came back, again and again each year, and will always come back, until the end of times.

Ever since he met Toothless, summer has been Hiccup's favorite season. Fortunately, this year he could add another reason for that.

Hiccup knew summer was going to end eventually. He knew that in a few hours he'll have to leave the safety and the privacy of his house and present his family to the world, and that tomorrow he'll already have to go back to the never-ending job of being Chief and taking care of every single person and dragon in Berk, so that life will go on as usual. It was his duty and he had already learned to embrace it, and was ready to fulfill the task the best he could.

But until that moment comes, he still had some time, still had an entire day of gold and blue to let the Chief inside of him rest a little and make place for an all-new role – a father, and he meant to make the best of that day.

* * *

><p>Welcome to the world, little Stoick! You parents are the coolest:)<p>

I started writing a sequel to this a while ago, but right now I'm pretty stuck, unfortunately. I'm a university student and homework has started to pile up, so I barely find the time (or inspiration) to write. I do hope I'll get the chance to finish it, though, because I can't get enough of the Haddock family - they're all just too adorable 3

That's it folkes, I really hope you enjoyed my story. Keep hitting those reviews!


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